YEAH! BURGER creates “Food You Can LoveSM” – food without harmful chemicals and heavy processing, food from farmers we know, and food that respects the environment and the humane treatment of animals. It’s the same type of food that inspired our founder, Erik Maier, to start YEAH! BURGER.

The name “YEAH! BURGER” is meant to convey a restaurant diners can be excited about because of its sustainable values and practices. While the name came quickly from a frequently used saying between friends, the idea for the company did not come to Erik overnight. Rather, it’s a concept that was generated thanks to many years of personal experiences.

The genesis for YEAH! BURGER’s “Keep It Real” philosophy can mostly be attributed to Erik’s childhood in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Thanks to his parents, he developed an appreciation for fresh, locally-grown food at an early age through his family’s organic garden and weekly visits to “Root’s”, a nearby farmers market founded in 1925.

As an adult, Erik was troubled by the lack of wholesome food he encountered during his travels as an accountant. He was later encouraged by the sustainable food movements taking hold in New York and California where he worked as an entrepreneur and music executive. Inspired, he couldn’t help but think there needed to be more healthful food options for the majority of the country.

After the much-hyped entertainment start-up he was working at collapsed during the Great Recession, Erik decided it was time to create a company that truly made a difference in people’s lives. The decision was an easy one – change fast food for the better!

To improve the game, Erik knew that he’d have to do more than just serve food that was better for his customers; he’d have to serve food that was better for the environment, for the farmers and for the animals they raise.

And so here we are today. We hope the world is just a little better with us around and that you’ll join us in helping to KEEP FOOD REAL!

FREEBIRDS TO OPEN ITS DOORS IN MIDDLE TENNESSEEAustin-based fast-casual restaurant brings fresh-made menu to Music City

NASHVILLE, TENN (May 13, 2016) – Freebirds World Burrito, an Austin-based fast casual eatery, is excited to announce the opening of its first Tennessee location in Nashville at 3800 Hillsboro Road in Green Hills. The restaurant, known for its fresh, made-to-order burritos, tacos, nachos, bowls and salads and commitment to high-quality ingredients, will open its doors in Nashville late this summer. The Green Hills location will be open daily for lunch and dinner; Sunday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. A Murfreesboro location is slated for late 2016, further details to be announced.

A beloved brand with loyal followers, Freebirds opened its first restaurant in 1987, and now serves customers at nearly 100 locations in California, Utah, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and Louisiana. The Nashville location will feature the brand’s recent redesign, with modern industrial farmhouse-inspired textiles, including reclaimed wood and exposed brick, perfectly juxtaposed by contemporary, cold-rolled steel finishes. The space will also contain an open kitchen concept and an updated music playlist streaming through a premium sound system, exhibiting the brand’s passion for music. Guests will have the ability to participate in the in-line payment option with the use of digital tablets.

“We are incredibly excited for our entry into the Middle Tennessee market, and look forward to introducing our food story to new guests,” said President and COO Bobby Shaw. “We have spent a great deal of time in Nashville preparing for the opening and can’t express how grateful we are for the warm welcome we have received from the community.”

Freebirds’ recently launched food truck will be in Nashville from Monday, May 16, through the opening of their Green Hills location, serving on-the-go burritos, tacos, quesadillas, burrito bowls and more. The truck is equipped with a state-of-the-art recreational kitchen and a digital menu board, and both cash and cards are accepted. During its time in Nashville, the mobile eatery will be stationed at the Green Hills location.

Freebirds is an award-winning, fast-casual restaurant with a personal approach to serving fresh, made-to-order burritos, tacos, nachos, quesadillas, bowls and salads. Freebirds provides a great-tasting meal from the freshest ingredients made by its passionate employees, known as Tribe Members. Founded in 1987, the Austin-based brand is dedicated to operating with a conscience and giving back to the communities in which it serves. Freebirds is owned and operated by Tavistock Group with nearly 100 restaurant locations.

THE HOOK IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD HANGOUT YOU’LL WANT TO PUT ON REPEAT.

The Hook is fast casual dining in a fun, relaxed space. The fresh menu of regionally-inspired chicken and seafood is rounded out with classic sandwiches, salads & shareable sides. As the musical hook catches the ear of the listener, the food at The Hook will catch the appetite of our diners with creative food, an open dining area with comfortable seating, a bar stocked with local craft beers, batched cocktails, and frozen drinks, and a partially enclosed patio that overlooks 8th Avenue’s booming Melrose district in Nashville, Tennessee.

The building design incorporates Music City’s rich music scene, created by locally commissioned artists. The Hook is fast, affordable food with friendly, attentive service in a fun spot for lunch and dinner seven days a week, and the feel good vibes eat, drink and repeat!

OWNERSHIP

The Hook Nashville is owned and operated by Colin and Brenda Reed, brothers Ed and Sam Reed and Executive Chef and Culinary Director Dale Levitski. This will be the second 8th Avenue/Melrose establishment by this ownership team, and is located just blocks away from the first, Sinema Restaurant & Bar, which is named one of Nashville’s best restaurants by multiple media outlets and recognized for its exceptional food, atmosphere, and service.

Patrons of The Hook can expect the same guest-driven experience, both front and back of house. The team has embraced both the preservation and development of one of Nashville’s most dynamic and storied neighborhoods in Nashville and is looking forward to creating a favorite hangout for locals and visitors alike.

CULINARY TEAM

Vasisht Ramasubramanian (Chef V)Chef

Chef V comes to The Hook from Chauhan Ale & Masala House, where he served as chef de cuisine. He was part of the original team, planning and executing the menu, kitchen, and internal procedures. Prior to moving to Nashville, Chef V spent four years in working at ABC Kitchen and ABC Cocina by Jean Georges Vongerichten, ultimately acting as sous chef. He is a high honors graduate of The Culinary Institute of America.

Dale LevitskiExecutive Chef & Culinary Director

Though Dale Levitski became a household name through Bravo’s Top Chef, where he was a runner up on the third season, his culinary accolades reach beyond his time on television. Over the course of 15 years, Levitski has received numerous honors for his cooking, including being tied to three different best new restaurant awards by Chicago Magazine. He has received four Jean Banchet Award nominations, including rising star chef, celebrity chef, and twice for best neighborhood restaurant. He has cooked three times at the James Beard House by invitation, most recently representing Sinema Nashville with a “Nashville Buzz”-themed dinner.

Levitski came to Nashville as Executive Chef for Sinema, and has achieved many accolades since the restaurant opened its doors in 2014. Along with the Reed Family, Chef Levitski brings his culinary expertise and flair to The Hook to provide a true regionally-inspired neighborhood hangout.